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Medications for Renal Cell Carcinoma

Other names: Adenocarcinoma of renal cells; Cancer, Hypernephroma; Cancer, Kidney; Cancer, Renal; Cancer, Renal Cell Carcinoma; Hypernephroma; Kidney Cancer; Renal Cancer

Renal cell carcinoma, a form of kidney cancer that involves cancerous changes in the cells of the renal tubule, is the most common type of kidney cancer in adults

Drugs used to treat Renal Cell Carcinoma

The medications listed below are related to or used in the treatment of this condition.

Drug name Rating Reviews Activity ? Rx/OTC Pregnancy CSA Alcohol
Keytruda Qlex
New approval
Rate Add review Rx N
Generic name:
berahyaluronidase alfa / pembrolizumab systemic
Drug class:
miscellaneous uncategorized agents, anti-PD-1 and PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies (immune checkpoint inhibitors)
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
FDA approval date:
September 23, 2025
Sutent
7.6 28 reviews for Sutent to treat Renal Cell Carcinoma Rx D N
Generic name:
sunitinib systemic
Drug class:
multikinase inhibitors, VEGF/VEGFR inhibitors
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
FDA approval date:
November 16, 2017
Jobevne
New approval
Rate Add review Rx C N
Generic name:
bevacizumab systemic
Drug class:
VEGF/VEGFR inhibitors
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
FDA approval date:
April 10, 2025
Votrient
8.1 59 reviews for Votrient to treat Renal Cell Carcinoma Rx D N
Generic name:
pazopanib systemic
Drug class:
VEGF/VEGFR inhibitors
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
FDA approval date:
October 19, 2009
Inlyta
9.0 1 review for Inlyta to treat Renal Cell Carcinoma Rx D N
Generic name:
axitinib systemic
Drug class:
multikinase inhibitors, VEGF/VEGFR inhibitors
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
FDA approval date:
April 22, 2019
Keytruda
6.8 14 reviews for Keytruda to treat Renal Cell Carcinoma Rx D N
Generic name:
pembrolizumab systemic
Drug class:
anti-PD-1 and PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies (immune checkpoint inhibitors)
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
FDA approval date:
April 22, 2019
Opdivo
7.8 16 reviews for Opdivo to treat Renal Cell Carcinoma Rx N
Generic name:
nivolumab systemic
Drug class:
anti-PD-1 and PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies (immune checkpoint inhibitors)
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
FDA approval date:
November 23, 2015
nivolumab
7.1 24 reviews for nivolumab to treat Renal Cell Carcinoma Rx N
Generic name:
nivolumab systemic
Brand name:
Opdivo
Drug class:
anti-PD-1 and PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies (immune checkpoint inhibitors)
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
AHFS DI Monograph
Opdivo Qvantig
New approval
Rate Add review Rx N
Generic name:
hyaluronidase / nivolumab systemic
Drug class:
anti-PD-1 and PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies (immune checkpoint inhibitors)
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
FDA approval date:
December 27, 2024
Cabometyx
8.6 11 reviews for Cabometyx to treat Renal Cell Carcinoma Rx D N
Generic name:
cabozantinib systemic
Drug class:
multikinase inhibitors, VEGF/VEGFR inhibitors
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
FDA approval date:
April 26, 2016
pembrolizumab
6.9 17 reviews for pembrolizumab to treat Renal Cell Carcinoma Rx D N
Generic name:
pembrolizumab systemic
Brand name:
Keytruda
Drug class:
anti-PD-1 and PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies (immune checkpoint inhibitors)
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
AHFS DI Monograph
Afinitor
5.5 2 reviews for Afinitor to treat Renal Cell Carcinoma Rx D N
Generic name:
everolimus systemic
Drug class:
mTOR inhibitors, selective immunosuppressants
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
FDA approval date:
March 30, 2009
Yervoy
Rate Add review Rx C N
Generic name:
ipilimumab systemic
Drug class:
anti-CTLA-4 monoclonal antibodies
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
FDA approval date:
April 16, 2018
Avastin
9.0 2 reviews for Avastin to treat Renal Cell Carcinoma Rx C N
Generic name:
bevacizumab systemic
Drug class:
VEGF/VEGFR inhibitors
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
FDA approval date:
February 26, 2004
Nexavar
10 2 reviews for Nexavar to treat Renal Cell Carcinoma Rx D N
Generic name:
sorafenib systemic
Drug class:
multikinase inhibitors, VEGF/VEGFR inhibitors
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
FDA approval date:
December 20, 2005
ipilimumab
Rate Add review Rx C N
Generic name:
ipilimumab systemic
Brand name:
Yervoy
Drug class:
anti-CTLA-4 monoclonal antibodies
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
AHFS DI Monograph
hyaluronidase / nivolumab
Rate Add review Rx N
Generic name:
hyaluronidase / nivolumab systemic
Brand name:
Opdivo Qvantig
Drug class:
anti-PD-1 and PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies (immune checkpoint inhibitors)
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
Lenvima
4.0 2 reviews for Lenvima to treat Renal Cell Carcinoma Rx N
Generic name:
lenvatinib systemic
Drug class:
multikinase inhibitors, VEGF/VEGFR inhibitors
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
FDA approval date:
May 13, 2016
Torisel
9.5 2 reviews for Torisel to treat Renal Cell Carcinoma Rx D N
Generic name:
temsirolimus systemic
Drug class:
mTOR inhibitors
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
Prescribing Information
FDA approval date:
May 31, 2007
pazopanib
8.0 67 reviews for pazopanib to treat Renal Cell Carcinoma Rx D N
Generic name:
pazopanib systemic
Brand name:
Votrient
Drug class:
VEGF/VEGFR inhibitors
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
AHFS DI Monograph, Prescribing Information
sunitinib
7.4 32 reviews for sunitinib to treat Renal Cell Carcinoma Rx D N
Generic name:
sunitinib systemic
Brand name:
Sutent
Drug class:
multikinase inhibitors, VEGF/VEGFR inhibitors
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
AHFS DI Monograph, Prescribing Information
everolimus
5.5 2 reviews for everolimus to treat Renal Cell Carcinoma Rx D N
Generic name:
everolimus systemic
Brand name:
Afinitor
Drug class:
mTOR inhibitors, selective immunosuppressants
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
AHFS DI Monograph, Prescribing Information
cabozantinib
7.5 24 reviews for cabozantinib to treat Renal Cell Carcinoma Rx D N
Generic name:
cabozantinib systemic
Brand name:
Cabometyx
Drug class:
multikinase inhibitors, VEGF/VEGFR inhibitors
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
AHFS DI Monograph
axitinib
5.3 3 reviews for axitinib to treat Renal Cell Carcinoma Rx D N
Generic name:
axitinib systemic
Brand name:
Inlyta
Drug class:
multikinase inhibitors, VEGF/VEGFR inhibitors
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
AHFS DI Monograph
sorafenib
10 2 reviews for sorafenib to treat Renal Cell Carcinoma Rx D N
Generic name:
sorafenib systemic
Brand name:
Nexavar
Drug class:
multikinase inhibitors, VEGF/VEGFR inhibitors
For consumers:
dosage, interactions, side effects
For professionals:
AHFS DI Monograph, Prescribing Information

Frequently asked questions

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Topics under Renal Cell Carcinoma

Learn more about Renal Cell Carcinoma

Care guides

Symptoms and treatments

Legend

Rating For ratings, users were asked how effective they found the medicine while considering positive/adverse effects and ease of use (1 = not effective, 10 = most effective).
Activity Activity is based on recent site visitor activity relative to other medications in the list.
Rx Available for purchase by prescription only.
OTC Available for purchase over-the-counter.
Rx/OTC Available for purchase by prescription or over-the-counter.
Alcohol The medication interacts with alcohol (if marked with "✕").
New approval The FDA has approved this medication within the past year.
Off-label The FDA may not approve this medication for the treatment of this condition.
EUA An Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) allows the FDA to authorize unapproved medical products or unapproved uses of approved medical products to be used in a declared public health emergency when there are no adequate, approved, and available alternatives.
Expanded access Expanded access is a potential pathway for a patient with a serious or immediately life-threatening disease or condition to gain access to an investigational medical product (drug, biologic, or medical device) for treatment outside of clinical trials when no comparable or satisfactory alternative therapy options are available.
Pregnancy Category
A Adequate and well-controlled studies have failed to demonstrate a risk to the fetus in the first trimester of pregnancy (and there is no evidence of risk in later trimesters).
B Animal reproduction studies have failed to demonstrate a risk to the fetus and there are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women.
C Animal reproduction studies have shown an adverse effect on the fetus and there are no adequate and well-controlled studies in humans, but potential benefits may warrant use in pregnant women despite potential risks.
D There is positive evidence of human fetal risk based on adverse reaction data from investigational or marketing experience or studies in humans, but potential benefits may warrant use in pregnant women despite potential risks.
✕ Studies in animals or humans have demonstrated fetal abnormalities and/or there is positive evidence of human fetal risk based on adverse reaction data from investigational or marketing experience, and the risks involved in use in pregnant women clearly outweigh potential benefits.
N FDA has not classified the drug.
Controlled Substances Act (CSA) Schedule
M The drug has multiple schedules. The schedule may depend on the exact dosage form or strength of the medication.
U CSA Schedule is unknown.
N Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.
1 Has a high potential for abuse. Has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. There is a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision.
2 Has a high potential for abuse. Has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States or a currently accepted medical use with severe restrictions. Abuse may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.
3 Has a potential for abuse less than those in schedules 1 and 2. Has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. Abuse may lead to moderate or low physical dependence or high psychological dependence.
4 Has a low potential for abuse relative to those in schedule 3. It has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. Abuse may lead to limited physical dependence or psychological dependence relative to those in schedule 3.
5 Has a low potential for abuse relative to those in schedule 4. Has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. Abuse may lead to limited physical dependence or psychological dependence relative to those in schedule 4.

Further information

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